South East Queensland

This line item represents the Non-Benefitted Area extractions in the Central Lockyer water supply scheme (WSS) and urban SEQ Water Grid extraction of groundwater.

The table below shows the components that make up the groundwater extractions under basic rights during the 2009–10 reporting period.

In the Central Lockyer WSS, there are two types of area for which groundwater licences are available: Benefitted Areas and Non-Benefitted Areas.

Benefited Areas are the equivalent of a regulated surface water resource. The Benefitted Area uses managed aquifer recharge via discharge of water from reservoirs to watercourses to recharge the groundwater. Although this is volumetrically not included in the water accounting statements, further information on the managed aquifer recharge can be found at line item 20.5.2 Managed aquifer recharge.

Non-Benefitted Areas are areas of the aquifer that do not benefit from managed discharges from reservoirs for the purpose of recharging the groundwater. Non-Benefitted Areas are the equivalent of unregulated surface water resources.

Groundwater outside of groundwater management areas (GMAs) does not require licensing, but extraction is authorised under the Queensland Water Act (2000). All extractions outside of a GMA Benefitted Area are defined as basic rights for the purpose of the National Water Account 2010. No metered data were available to accurately quantify basic rights except for Non-Benefitted Area extractions in the Central Lockyer WSS and SEQ Water Grid extraction of groundwater for urban use. Metered extractions from the Cressbrook GMA may be included in future accounts.

Of the Central Lockyer licensed groundwater extractions, 2,834 ML was extracted from the Benefitted Area for 2009–10. This was included as line item 16.5.3.7 Groundwater allocation extraction – other lumped holders.

A volume of 2,266 ML was extracted from Non-Benefitted Areas in 2009–10. This was included as part of line item 16.4.2 Groundwater extractions – other lumped basic rights.

This line item is comprised of two different components:

• 19.3.2 Inflow of groundwater into the urban water supply system
• Non-Benefitted Area extractions from the Central Lockyer WSS.

Non-Benefitted  Area extractions from the Central Lockyer WSS

Data source

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), Water Management System (WMS).

Data provider

DERM.

Method

Metered data were obtained from the WMS for all Non-Benefitted Area groundwater extractions for the Central Lockyer WSS for 2009–10. This came to a total of 2,266 ML.

Uncertainty

Estimated from measured data. DERM reliability and accuracy rating is A2 (see glossary).

Approximations,  assumptions, caveats and limitations

It was assumed that all extraction data within the Water Entitlement Register Database were correct and up to date at the time of data collection.

DERM accepted the data provided by meter readers in good faith.